Tank truck



Sept. 12-, 1950 R. WAHL E'I'AL TANK TRUCK Filed Nov. 20, 1945 INVENTORS. 45" Lorenz R. Wahl 45 BY James E. Ogden A Horney Patented Sept. 12, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE TANK TRUCK Lorenz R. Wahl anal J ameS E. Ogden, Long Beach, Calif.

Applibation November 20, 1945, Serial N0. 629,884

4 Claims. (C1. 21483.32)

This invention haS to do with a tank truck and is more particularly concerned with a trucl; for handling debris 01 materials that are thick or diflicult, if not impossible, to handle with ordi nary equipmeno er by ordinary methods.

Thema a1e numerous situationg where liquid or semi-liquid debris 01' materials have 130 be moved or handled. and yet they arg so thick o1 cf such character that they cannot be pumped and are such that when once deposited in a tank for transportation they will not fiow uut of the tank when it is time 130 discharge them, but rather, have t be removed by methocls 01 equipment ordinarily required for solid materials. An example of such a situation is debrig from sumpholes such as occur in 011 fields. This material is usually a thick heavy mixture of crude 011, water, sand, sticks, rags, and other auch materials, and is such 'bhat it Will 010g ordinary pumps and. when once deposited in a tank a substantial portion of it Will setc1e aus. become packed so that When the tank is 0pened 130 be emptied on1y a portion of the material Will drain out. 'Ihe practical difficulty presented by such material is that a tank truck used for handling such materials after being 1oaded cannot successfu11y dump the load, anal consequently it usually makes subsequent loads With an accumulation of material from previous loadg still in the tank, all with the resu1t that the who1e operation is inefficient and tedi0us. Even when an ordinary tank truck is used and it is recognized that 01115 a part of the load is dumped. when the tank is opened, it becomes necessary ab intervals to enter the tank and dislodge the settled material. Otherwise the tank gradually fi11s up unti1 it is of 1ittle 01 no practical use.

It is a general object of our present invention 120 provide a portable tank suit-able for receiving debris such aS we have referred to, which tank is equipped With an outlet opening and with means for feeding material in the tank t0 the opening to facilitate the discharge of the material from the tank.

By our present invention we provide an aut- 1et opening in the bottom of the tank and we provide a feed screw in the bottom of the tank which screw is power driven so that it can be put in operation When it is desired to empty the tank so that it causes the materials that norma1ly accumulate in the tank 120 be fed 170 the outlet opening 170 be discharged. along with the ma terials that naturally d1ain from the tank.

I1; is another object of our invention to provide a portable debris handling tank having an inlet pipe f0r discharging material into the upper portiop of the tank and having the suction 1ine of a suction pump connected 1she top of the tank so thai; material is caused to enter the tank through differential pressure resultin from air bing exhausted from the tank, With the result that atmospheric pressure an the debris ab the outside cf the tank causes 113 130 fiow through the inlet pipe into the tank.

It is another object of our invention 130 provide a tank truck Which is a complece unit and which has a power take-ofi operable drive a sucti0n pump for withdrawing air from a debrisca1ryingtank on the truck and for driving a feed screw in the tank, which feed screw is operable oo feeol matgrial in the lower portion 0f the tank 130 an outlet opening so that it is discharged from the tank along with materials that Will normally fiow from Ehe tank through the outiet opening.

The Various objects and features 0f our in-- vention will be fully understood from 1:he follow ing detailed descripoion of a typical preferred form and application of the invention, throughout which description reference is made to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a tank truck enbodying our present invenon. Fig. 2 is an enlarged, longitudinal sectional view of the tar.k element; as such, am]. Fig, 3 is an enlarged side elevation taken at the forward end portion 01 t'ae tank 0r between the cab 0f the truck and. the for- Ward end of the tank, shnwing the drive Commetion from the power takewif cf the truck 50 1;he suction pump and 110 the feed screw of the tank.

The unit provided by our invention inc1udes, generally, a truck T having a frame or chassis i carried by forward wheels i l and rear wheels Q2. 1 The truck further includes an engine or power plant I3 at its forward end and the usual drivers cab M immediately behind the power plant. We may employ any suitable heavy truck and p1eferably employ one having a suitable power take-oif I5 operable to drive a driv chain B, or the 1ike. The invention is in no way concerned with the details of the power take-ofi. of the truck nor With the manner in which 113 drives the chain Hi o1 other power transmitting eleme1'1t. Therefore, these pars have only been shown in a general Way in the dravvings.

Ou1 present invention provides a debris hanc11ing tank H on the truck, a suction pump I8 on the truck to be driven from the power takeoff I5, a suction pipe I5 connecting the pump I8 Ihe top of the tank.

*t.ion into the tank.

with the top of the tank so that air o1 gas can be exhausted therefrom, a float control means 20 for the suction pipe I9, inlet meang 30 for admitting debris or other material into the tank, outlei; means 2I fr allowing material 130 fiow out of the tank, feed means 22 in the tank operable to feed material to the outlet means, a drive connection 23 between the power take-off I5 and. the pump I8, and a drive connection 24 between the power take-ofi I5 anal the feed means 22.

The tank that we provide may vary in size and shape, depending upon the character of the truck o1 the dass of work to be performed. F01 ordinary service we prefer to provide a tank having an elongate cylindrical body 25 closed ab its ends by suitable heads 26. Such a tank is simple and inexpensive of manufacture and can 'be advantageously arranged on a truck T such as we have illustrated in the drawings.

The suction pump I8 may be any suitable form or type of pump that Will operate to exhaust air or gas from the tank I'I. In th drawings we have illustrated a suitably housed. pump 10- cated between the forward end of the sank and t.l1e rear of the cab of the truck, but have not shown the details of the pump mechanism since our invention is not concerned with such par" ticulars.

The suction pipe I9 that we provide is comnected to th inlet or suction I8 of the pump 18 and extends from the pump I8 to the upper portion or top of the tank. In the particular case illustrated vve Show the pipe I9 entering the tank through a suitable head or dome 2'I provided on However, it Will be understoodthat in practice the suotion pipe may be connected to the tank in any suitable manner. The fioat control 20 that we p1ovid invo1ves a suitable control valve 28 connected 110 the pipe preferably within the dome 21 to control fiow through the pipe I9 and a float 29 arranged in the upper portion of the tank and connectecl with the valve 28 through a suitable 1ever connection 29 so that when the fioat is lifted to a predetermined position in the tank by liquid 01 material in the tank the va1ve 28 is closed. It

.is so be understood, of course, that in practice we can use any sort of f1oat control means, o1 the like, that will serve to either cut off the suction pump I 3 o1 close the suction pipe I 9 when the tank is fi1led to th desired point.

The in1et means III] that we have provided preferably includes an inlet pipe 3I entering the tank frorn the lower portion thereof, and at the rear end thereof, and extending upward in the tank I:o a point.near the top thereof. In the preferred arrangement the pipe 3I is a large pipe that is straight anal Which extends up in the tank a1; an angle so that the material discharging from its upper end falls into the tank at a point approximately midway between t he ends of the sank. The in1et means further includes a suitable control valve 32 in connection with the pipe 3I. In practice, the valve 32 is preferably located at the exterior of the tank so that it can be conveniently operated and it can be provided with coupling means 33 such as a fiange 01 che 1ike, whereby it can be connecced to a feed 1ine through which material is supplied for introduc- II; is to be understood that when We refer to a valve 32 we mean to inc1ude any suitable fiow control device such as any suioable plug or valve, either a gate valve, plug valve, or any other type that may be employed to serve the purpose.

The outlet means 2I which we provide inc1udes or invoives a drain pipe 60 connected into the bottom of the tank preferably near one end, and preferably near the rear end of the tank. In the particular case illustrated the drain pipe is a large pipe and is L-shaped, and the means 2I further inciudes a, control valve II in connection With the pipe AI), which valve may be simi1ar in character to the va1ve 32 of the means 30.

The feed means 22 which we provide in the tank I'I may be varied depending upon the service to be performed. For ordinary work, as Tor instance, for handling debris from the sump hoies of oil fie1ds, we have found iI; convenient to emp1oy a feed screw in the tank which screw involvesa shaft 45 supported by bearings 46 at the ends of the tank and a helical blade 41 carried by the shaft and pitched so that as the shaft is rotated it feeds material toward or to the drain pipe II? Which connects into the bottom of the tank. In the preferred arrangement one cnd only of be snaft 35 projects from the1tank and this end of the shaft projects fromthe forwa1d end of the tank to make connection.with the drive means 24 hereinafter described.

The drive means 23 provided for operating the pump I8 from the power take-ofif I5 of I:he truck may, in practice, vary depending upon the character of the power take-oif provided 011 the truck and upon Izhe type of control desired between the power take-off anal the pump. In the particular case illustrated we have shown the power take-ofi I5 of the truck driving a countershaft 59 through a chain I5. The drive means 23, as illustrated, involves a clutch 5I anal chain drive 52 between ehe counter-shaft 50 and the drive shaft 53 of the pump. The clutch, asil- Iustrated, is under control of a lever.5.

The drive means 24 to be providedhetween the power take-ofl. I5 01 the truck and the.feed screw 22 in the tank may, in practice, vary, depending upon the character of the power takewff and the particular screw be driven. In the case illustrated vve show a simple clut0h IIIJf01 connecting the counter-shaft 50 driven from..the power take-oif with the projecting end. "45 'of the feed screvv shaft. The end 45 rojects from the forward end of the Isank and the clutch 60 is under control 0f a simpie lever 62.

In operating the apparatus that wohave provided, assuming the tank I'I be empty, suitable feed pipe or hose is connected to the means 3II, as f0r instance to the va1ve 32 of themeans 33, so that I;he tank is connected with the body of fluid or debris to be handled. The pump I8 is then put into operation by engaging theclutch 5I anal as the pump operates, air or gas in the sank is exhausted therefrom, so that a reduced. pressure is established in the tank causing atmospheric pressure on material outside of the tank to force the material through the'feed pipe o1 hose, through the valve 32, and through the pipe 3I so that it discharges into the tank. Ma

terial discharged into the tank buildsup or accumulates until it reaches the fioat 29 anal when it has moved the float 29 up to a desired-point 01' to a point where the tank is full, tne va1ve 23 is closed, thus cutting off the connection between the tank and the suction pump. The operator can then disengage the clutch 5I and remove or suicably manipulate the feed pipe or hoseas the case may be, making thovehicle ready 'for movemeno. The truck 15 then driventothe'location where the debris is to be emptied, where upon the valve 4I is opened and the chitch 611 is engaged so that the feed. means 22 is driven. If desired, any suitable means may be utilized 120 admii; air into the top of the tank as the material is discharged. For instance, an air inlet connection 711 may be provided in connection with the dome 27. When the valve H is pen am]. the screw 22 1s operating the materials that will normally flow naturally seek their vray out through the drain pipe and. valve anti the ma terials that would otherwise accumulate and lodge in ehe tank ancl not drain therefrom are moved. by the screw to the drain pipe W so Chat. they are carried out wich the first mentioned materials. I1; is to be understood, cf course, that a suitable pipe or extension can be con nected with the valve 4I to lead the materials thus discharged to any desired point, if that is necessary. Ic is also 130 be understood that we may, if desired, keep the screw 22 in motion or operating at all times, that is from the time the material is first loaded into the tank until it is discharged, if the material being handled is such that its handlin is expedited by such operation.

I-Iaving described. on1y a typical preferred form and application of our invention, we do not wish 120 be limited or restrictecl 120 the specific details herein sei: forth, but wish to reserve 130 ourselves any variations o1 modifications that may appear 110 those skilled in 1she art, and fal1 within the scope of the following claims:

Having described. our invention, We claim:

1. Apparatus cf the character described including an elongate portable tank, means for introducing material into the tank including a pipe with a portion accessible at the bottom of the tank adjacent one end thereof and discharging in the upper portion of the tank, means for discharging material from the tank including a feed. screw arranged longitudinally in the lower portion of the tank operable to feed materia1 120 a discharge opening provided in the tank at said end thereof, and. control valves for the pipe anti opening located in close proximity t0 each other at said end of the tank.

2. Apparatus of the character described including, a motor driven vehicle, a cylindrical tank mounted horizontally on the vehicle, means for introducing material into the tank including a pipe discharging in the upper portion of the tank, means for exhausting air from the tank inclucling a float controlled exhaust pipe con-' nected with the upper portion of the tank and a suction pump driven by the motor of the vehic1e, and means for discharging material fr0m the tank including a feed screw in the bottom cf the tank in free communication w1th the interior 013 the tank, driven by the motor cf the vehic le and operable feed material a discharge conduit connected to the tank, and. a control valve in the discharge conduit.

3. Apparatus o1 the character described including, a motor driven vehicle, a cylindrical tanl; mounted horizontally on Ehe, vehicle, means for introducing material into the tank including an inlet pipe discharging in the upper portion of the tank, means for exhausting air from the tank including a suction pump driven by the motor 01" the vehicle, an exhaust pipe connecting the pump and he upper portion 0f the tank, a valve in the exhaust pipe anc1 a float in the upper portion of the tank controlling the valve, means for discharging material from the tank including an exposed feed screw in ehe bottom of the tank extending longitudinally of the tank and driven by the motor cf the vehicle from one end of the tank and operable to feed material so a discharge opening provided in the bottom of the tanl at the other end thereof, and contro1 valves for the inlet pipe and ehe discharge opening located at said other end of the tank.

4. Apparatus of the character described including a motor driven vehicle, a cylindrical tank mounted horizontally on the vehicle, means for introducing material into the tank inclucling an inlet pipe entering adjacent the botom of the tank ab one end thereof discharging in the upper portion cf the tank, means for exhausting air from the tank including a suction pump driven Joy the motor of the vehicle, an exhaust pipe counectina the pump and. the upper portion of the tank, a valve in the exhaust pipe and. a float in the upper portion of the tank controlling the valve, means for discharging material including a discharge conduit connected. to and in free communication with the interior cf the tank at said end thereof, and control valves for the inlet pipe and the discharge opening located in close proximity each daher at said end. of the tank.

LORENZ R. WAHL. JAMES E. OGDEN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,165736 White D80. 28, 1915 1,398790 Ogur Nov. 29 1921 1944663 Le May Jan. 23, 1934 2,110207 Doran Mar. 8, 1938 2,110262 Curtis Mar. 8, 1938 2116603 IIo1ly May 10, 1938 2130059 Bosh Sept. 13 1938 2,130099 Peterson Sept. 13, 1938 2,240167 Adams Apr. 29 1941 

